River, Rails and Trails Museum and Visitor Center

Hi, Dakota here! Today I arrived in Boonville, Missouri at the River, Rails and Trails Museum and Visitor Center. Here, I met with some nice ladies that showed me around. I saw a half scale replica of the keelboat that Lewis and Clark traveled in with Seaman.

I got to see steamboat and railroad history, and I hung out in the replica kids’ fort of Boonville’s founder Hannah Cole.

Lastly, I saw a wagon like the pioneers traveled in as they headed west on the Santa Fe Trail, and I learned where the trail first started, just across the river.

Next, I went for a walk on the Katy Trail, which is a 237 mile walking and biking trail. I also visited the Old Katy Depot and MKT Caboose. From there we walked out onto the old Katy Bridge, which is the old railroad bridge that is being restored to walk and bike across. I learned that visitors from all over the world come ride on the Katy Trail and that Boonville is where they get to cross the Missouri River.

From there we went to Lookout Point in Harley Park to see the views of the “Boonslick Area.” Daniel Boone’s sons had a salt business there to supply early pioneers to the area with this much-needed resource for preserving food. From there I could also see where the Santa Fe trail began and imagined the line of wagons starting out on that dangerous journey.

Next, I went to check the historic downtown and walked through the 400 sites and structures that make up the Historic Registry. Some of the buildings dated back to the 1830s. Along the tour, we stopped at a park that featured a statue of Boonville’s founder, Hannah Cole. Cole settled here with her nine children in 1810. She was one of the first pioneers that settled on the river after Lewis and Clark paved the way.

I was very excited to find out that I made it into town during Boonville’s Heritage Days, which is a big festival. There were so many activities that I got to check out like the Car Show, Quilt Show, Art Exhibit, Photo Display, Helicopter Display and Mutt Strut. I also got to meet up with some local kids to watch the parade. Overall, I had a blast in Boonville!

Learn more about the River, Rails and Trails Museum and Visitor Center:
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Learn more about the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail:
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Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor Centers and Museums

This map shows a range of features associated with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, which commemorates the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition. The trail spans a large portion of the North American continent, from the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. The trail is comprised of the historic route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, an auto tour route, high potential historic sites (shown in black), visitor centers (shown in orange), and pivotal places (shown in green). These features can be selected on the map to reveal additional information. Also shown is a base map displaying state boundaries, cities, rivers, and highways. The map conveys how a significant area of the North American continent was traversed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition and indicates the many places where visitors can learn about their journey and experience the landscape through which they traveled.